US Presidents: Republicans Have More Children Than Democrats and Other Interesting Facts

I got on a strange kick to learn more about the history of U.S. presidents, specifically any interesting differences or trends between Republican and Democratic presidents throughout history.

The different birth dates of the Democratic and Republican parties makes it a bit tricky to compare apples to apples. The first 6 presidents belonged to various parties that no longer exist: an independent (George Washington), a Federalist (James Madison), and four Democratic-Republicans. Then, there were four Whig presidents scattered in the years before 1860.

The first president of the Democratic party is considered Andrew Jackson in 1829. Meanwhile, Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president elected in 1860 after the Republican party had been formed in Ripon, Wisconsin in 1856.

In total, Democrats have controlled the White House for a total of ~91.5 years compared to Republicans at ~91.2 years. In other words, the two party system has produced a measured metronome which ticks from one side to another every 4 years.

Fun Findings

• On average, Republican presidents have won 70% of the electoral college vote compared to 67% for Democrats.
• Democratic presidents have an average net worth of $34m compared to $19m for Republicans.
• Democratic presidents issue on average 32% more executive orders than their Republican counterparts, and 34% more pardons and commutations.
• Republican presidents have an average of 3.7 children versus 2.9 children for Democrats.
• 74% of Republican presidents served in the military compared to 60% for Democrats.

I used data compiled at potus.com for all classifications and calculations. First, a quick look at which states have produced the most presidents:

Next, let’s take a look at your average Democrat and Republican president throughout history. The most interesting data points in my opinion are the differences between the average number of executive orders and pardons issued, average net worth, and the average number of children:

There you have it, a simple history lesson about US presidents that may serve you well when you least expect it.